The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-03-02


mind camping down on tho parlor sofa
for ono night, will you?" said Gcrvas
Jr., drawing his prospective brothcr-in.
law aside as bed time approached. "You
sec, Judge Bolton has rickety nerves
must have u room to himself, with NO
clock III 1t, three pillows Of assorted sizes
under his head, and brandy and water
within easy roach i'll case of nightmare.
Mother looked blank us o slate when she
heard he was here, but / told her we
would abdicatc in his favor, that we
could sleep like q roach in the bottom OF
Il pond, or wherever she might put us. y
Midnight and the dying fire saw the
PAR stretched out on luxurious super
structure of pillows and blankets, up
, borne by broad haircloth sofas, one on
each side Of the hearth. They had been
fast friends since their freshman wear Mt
Hampton Sidney. Veteran campaigncrs
ut 20 in the straits and makeShifts of
crowded country houses, they accepted
the situation hilariously, smoked Il lin
gcring cigar apiece after the candles
were cXtinguishcd, the red tips winking
across the room ut one another until
sleep and silence settled upon the rest of
tho house. Gervas first gave token of
drowsincss, his talk of fine girls and
blooded horses running down drolly, the
pendulum tongue dropping words like
lazy second ticks.
Not more glorious pair of eyes
this -sido-the Blue Ridge!" he drawlcd
"fmncy's going train 'cr-f the course
next fall. Chcs'nt-bay--ono white
foot!"
The auditor laughed silently, troasur-
ing up the oncomium for elaboration and
repetition at the breakfast table. Raising
himself on his elbow to see if his COM
rnde's cigar were out, and that he had
not set fire to the sheets, he aimed the
stump of his own toward the faint SHIN
mcr in tho chimney, drew the blankets
up to his chin, and, with deep breath
of satisfaction, settled into his downy
nest.
The rain was falling with rhythmic
regularity on the porch roof, n heavy
pour that beat down the wind. Suddenly
Il noise under the window awokc him.
Tie rccollcctcd instantly where he was
and why.
"Gcrvas!" he whispered.
eyes! | heard it! Hist" came back
i'll the same key.
The rustic of tho bed coverings as
they sat upright was audible in the dark
room. Some one was Walking on the
porch with steps that Jagged and quick
enod oddly. Sometimes they stopped
entirely while one might count ten or
twenty. The rhythmic pattcr of the
falling floods acccntuated by contrast
the mevcmcSs of the tramp, tramp!
from end 10 end of the wet floor. Sud
denly the dragging feet halted Mt the
front door, locks ratified, hinges creakcd;
tne footsteps came stunblingly to the
thrcsholu OF the drawing room; u hand
fumblcd with the knob.
The friends heard each the others
breath sharply held, rs the door swung
back and somebody entered. There was
II brief pause; the throbbing hearts of
the listeners, themselves unseen in the
dense darkness as was the intruder, out
beat the rmnpor without to their
strained senses, each gathering himself
up Tor spring SO soon as the trcspasscr
should strike Il light
Instead Of this, he walked heavily but
steadily as II ncrvcd by deliberate pur-
pose across the floor to the corner where
stood the piano. Thcre-thcy were as
sure OF 1t rs II they haU seen the action
he dropped upon his knees. 4 long,
broken sigh shuddcrcd through the
gloom, an articulatcd sob burdcncd with
II word they did not catch, but which
they believed was name, followed by a
horrid, sickcning gurglc-a dull thud~a
hollow human groan!
The young men bounded from their
couchcs and gropcd in frcnzicd clumsi-
ness for matches The blue light snapped
tiZHlcd, grew red, then cltarA
''Ihc candle" gaspcd Gervas, shaking
as with palsy.
AS the wick caught, they turned for
the first time in the direction from which
the horror had leapod upon them. The
cover of the closed piano was smooth;
chars, loot stool and a lamp stand
were as they had left them on going to
bed. There was no PROSTATE figure or
other sign Of the nocturnal visitation.
Avoiding one another's eyes rs in the
abGshmcnt of guilt they explored the
room and hall with lights. The polished
floor of the latter was dry and clean, the
outer door locked and barred.
"let 1 could have sworn that his
boots were soaked with wet" whispered
Gcrvas, fcarfully. "Thcy had the sodden
sound of muddy solcs."
With the same queer, cowcd dread of
they knew not what upon them, they
stole back on tiptoo to the drawing
room, made up the fire, and sitting by
it smoked and talked until the dim day
light of q wild, rainy morning slid in at
the windows.
In all these hours of agitated confer
ence they arrived at but one conclusion.
The awful secret should be kept until
such time as they could furnish a solu-
ton of the mystery. To delicate women
and superstitious servants Round Hill
would be intolerable were they to sus-
pect who stalked, visible and invisible,
through the house at his own evil will.
Shy had been Mrs Speed for year
when her husband received letter from
her brother, addressed to his Office and
marked "Coniidential.
81 have found a, key that fits the
lock, wrote the brave young fellow;
"but the darkness on the other side of
the open door is thicker than that in